Enriching faith and family

Gospel Reading and Thoughts for October 19, 2014

Gospel – Matthew 22:15-21

The Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech. They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. And you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion, for you do not regard a person’s status. Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” Knowing their malice, Jesus said, “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax.” Then they handed him the Roman coin. He said to them, “Whose image is this and whose inscription?” They replied, “Caesar’s.” At that he said to them, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”

In this Gospel, not only is Christ trying to rebuke the Pharisees for trying to trick him into speaking against the Romans, but He is trying to teach all of us about the division of the earthly and the Heavenly. We, as moms, have to divide what is God’s and what is earthly. There is a place for both, but we must distinguish our time knowing the value of each. With our earthly duties, we have the physical needs of our families and loved ones to take care of – cooking, cleaning, laundering of clothes, shuttling of kids. But in the midst of all the activities, we must find the Heavenly. We must “find God in the pots and pans”. We need to discuss our day and how the love of God acted in our lives throughout the day. We need to find the time for prayer. And we need to spend our energy and resources showering our family and friends with our love, giving to “Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”